A Better Love
by SonofaBacchae
Summary: Another AU Chris Revelation Fic, but with a twist. Chris grew up in broken household, but he had someone he could always turn to; someone who would always love him. Not Wyatt/Chris slash.
1. Chapter 1

**I know this show has been over and done with for a very long time, but I still get things popping up in my head from time to time. I was never a fan of certain decisions the show made (shocking I know), so here is a bit of a fix that I would have liked to have seen. **

**This is an AU Chris revelation fic, but takes place after the genie episode so Phoebe is in the know.**

**Standard Disclaimer: Charmed and its characters do not belong to me. Anything you don't recognize is probably me though. **

**(Other) Disclaimer: There will be mentions/scenes of child abuse and mentions of a lesbian couple. If you have issues with it, don't read it. Depending on where this story takes itself, there may be further disclaimers in the future.**

The sisters looked at one another, then at Leo who shrugged, and then all eyes turned to Chris. "Why do you automatically assume it was me?" he whined. "Because you are the one constantly mucking around with demons, mister" accused Piper, waving a finger at him. "Well it wasn't me this time. Maybe one of your spells went wrong… again" he snarked, making Leo step in front of his estranged wife. He was about to lay into the annoying white lighter when a sound caught their attention. The sisters and Leo turned toward the sound ready to follow it to the source, but stopped when they noticed Chris standing stock still. Phoebe generally couldn't get a read on his emotions, but she felt a flutter of fear and something else, "Chris," she started gently, "Do you know something?" He mutely nodded his head and she could see her sisters ready to tear into him for staying silent, but she implored them with her gaze to give her a shot with her nephew. They reluctantly acquiesced.

"What is it Chris?" "I ... we … but … consequences…" Those words set her sisters off shouting about future consequences and crap; but he didn't appear to hear them. He just walked past them following the sound of the music. A young girl came hurtling down the stairs, right through them literally and out the door. Paige gasped at the sensation of being passed through, "are we ghosts?" "I don't think we died, Paige." "But she just ran through me?" "I think we just aren't really here Paige, like an astral projection just less solid and visible. Wait, where did Chris go?" They trailed down the hallway Chris had disappeared down; he was sitting on a stool in the kitchen watching a teenage girl of about 15 pulling out ingredients to bake and singing along with music.

"_Sitting at your funeral _

_I have to say it's overdue. _

_Our family cries. _

_The preacher really tries _

_to make your life sound meaningful. _

_I fight to keep a straight face; _

_my heart it glows _

_as you decompose. _

_And I wonder can you hear me laughing _

'_cause I'm dancing on your grave._

_I'm glad you're dead!_

_All the pain you spread,_

_it dissipates away_

_that's why I gotta say _

_I'm glad you're dead. _

_But something in my head _

_won't let me forget all the things you did…_"

She was average height about 5'5" with short spikey black hair dyed red at the tips and smoky gray eyes; she wore loose jeans with tears in the knees and thighs with a black tank top hugging her slim frame and accentuating her already well defined muscles. Her feet were bare, she had multiple piercings in both ears and a spiraling tattoo curved up her spine and neck. She was pulling eggs out of the fridge, her back turned to the counter when a small boy about age 10 or 11 orbed in. When she turned around a smile lit up her face and she turned the music down so she could talk over it. "Hey, peanut." "Hey Chlo, what are you doing?" "Painting the house purple," she answered with a smirk. The boy rolled his green eyes in a familiar manner while shoving his overly long brown hair out of his face, "You're baking." "How astute, young padawan."

He tilted his head at her, "You don't bake. You don't cook. You don't do house things." She tried to look affronted as she bent to read the directions on the bag of chocolate chips, "I do to." "Do not." She continued the charade for a minute longer before letting a sad look overtake her, "I know, Chris, I have no clue what I am doing." The sweetness of the moment as the boy covered his hand with hers was marred by Leo getting a clue, "Wait Chris is that you? You're a witchlighter? I knew it, you lied again. How can we trust such a compulsive liar? Just wait until I tell the Elders, we'll be sending you right back to the future." Phoebe shushed him, gaining incredulous looks from everyone but the man watching his younger self. He hadn't even noticed Leo shouting at him.

"So, why are you baking?" The girl puttered around looking for a measuring cup, finally looking up into his wide expressive eyes with a sigh, "I want to give Claudia something. She said Jenny gave her a piece of homemade fudge and the look on her face. I don't think she will want to date me if I can't be girly enough for her." Young Chris leaned over and pecked her cheek, "I'll help you Chlo, but you know Claudia will like you even if you can't bake." She gave him a small appreciative smile and pulled out a measuring cup for the flour, "not that one, that one," he said pointing to another cup. It was the same size causing her to grin up at him, "what would I do without you?" "Make un-edible cookies," he answered without missing a beat. That caused her to chuckle a bit. They began working together singing along with the music.

The intruders just watched the two kids loath to break the peaceful moment. Piper and Paige were taking in the calm happy boy who was so different from the neurotic white lighter they knew. Leo was watching them suspiciously but could see nothing wrong going on, except maybe too much sugar in the batter. Phoebe was taking in the softer side of her nephew that she had seen glimpses of and was curious who this girl was that brought it out in him. The kids bumped shoulders, sang in each other's faces and goofed around until Chris put his arms out at over-dramatically yelled "halt." The girl looked at him in confusion. "We have a serious problem," he started with a serious expression. She looked at him like had gone mad, "There isn't enough butter!" he exclaimed and orbed out, presumably to get some, leaving the girl chuckling to herself.

Without warning a man stormed in and yelled, "Shut that goddamn racket off. You'd think this was a fucking zoo or crack house." He rushed over to the music player and ripped it off the speakers shoving it in his pocket; in his haste he knocked the eggs onto the floor. "And clean that up you fucking bitch," he yelled pushing her into the corner of the counter roughly on his way out the door. The girl straightened up and lifted her shirt to examine the newly blossoming bruise. She quickly pulled the shirt down as orbs formed back into Chris sitting on the counter, "Here is the butter; sorry it took me so long. I had to soften it. Hey, what happened to the eggs?" The spiky haired girl gave him a sheepish look, "I got a little too enthusiastic dancing and accidentally knocked them off the counter. But, on the upside we already put the two in we needed. Thanks for grabbing the butter, peanut." The young Chris just nodded and poured the butter in as she began cleaning up the mess. Older Chris finally spoke, "I didn't believe her. If that had been true her music still would have been playing. I wasn't sure if it was Coop or … someone else…Either way I knew she would brush it off if I brought it up, so I let it slide."

Phoebe opened her mouth to ask him more, but the girl was talking again, "So what's going on?" "We are making cookies for Claudia, or do you have short term memory loss?" he smirked. "I mean, why are you here instead of at home?" "Can't I just want to hang out with the coolest person I know," he tried a charming smile. She gave him one right back, "Ah flattery will get you nowhere, Christopher, but you can keep trying." He seemed to think about it for a second then deflated with a sigh. "They were fighting, again." Chloe took a spoonful of the completed batter and stuck it in his mouth. "It's not your fault, bud. But, I am glad you came over; I probably would have caught the house on fire without you." He gave a weak chuckle, "you haven't even turned the oven on yet." "Oh crap, that's supposed to be like step one, right," she reached over and turned on the oven.

She sidled up next to him and he put his head on her shoulder. "Why don't they listen?" "To each other? Well I guess when you have been fighting for so long…" He interrupted her, "I don't mean them. Well I do mean them but not to each other. Why won't they listen when we tell them what's wrong with Wyatt?" "Oh Chris, that's a complicated question." "It doesn't have to be if they would just look at him; they would know." The boy looked small just then, sitting slumped on the counter; the teenager turned to face him putting them eye to eye. "Listen to me, peanut. Wyatt is supposed to be twice-blessed; so admitting that the twice-blessed child of pure good could turn evil would mean admitting that somewhere along the line they screwed up. And no one wants to hear that they screwed their perfect child up." "But we are telling them the truth. Yesterday Wyatt broke the school bullies arm and mom just told me to thank him for protecting me," his lower lip trembled.

The girl sighed and shifted her head revealing a tattoo of the pentagram behind her ear. "I know, I know. They don't want to see it, so they see what is easier for them to see. When you tell them he has done something, they can chalk it up to jealousy of his powers. When I tell them, well, why should you trust a demon telling you your perfect, pure son is evil. It makes much more sense in their mind that I am either influencing him to do evil or that I am trying to break up the family to make an opening for evil." "But you would never do that Chloe." She smiled sadly at him. "Not the way I am now, no." He looked up with tears threatening to fall, "I love you Chloe." "And I love you too, peanut," her voice turned upbeat, "now, how long do these need to bake for?"

The kids started globbing out balls of dough on the sheet, eating more than was making it into the oven. They started pushing and playing again as if the last while had never happened. While they cookies baked, they chased each other around the island and living room then back to check on the cookies, over and over again. Finally Chris proclaimed them done and Chloe let him pull them out of the oven. They smiled and pulled off the gooey cookies burning their fingers and tongues. Eventually they calmed down into a food coma and snuggled up on the couch. Chloe gently ran her fingers through his hair and gave his temple a kiss, "You better get home. And don't tell your mom I let you ruin dinner with cookies." "You didn't ruin dinner I can still eat more," he yawned at her. "If you don't fall asleep in your mashed potatoes," she replied shooing him out.

Chloe stayed there on the couch staring at her hands. "That was sweet of you," the voice startled all the room's occupants. They turned and saw older Phoebe come sit on the couch. "I don't know what you're talking about," denied the girl. Phoebe smiled and wiped a stray bit of flour off the girl's cheekbone, "You hate cooking." She simply stated and as the teen opened her mouth to respond, Phoebe talked right over her, "and don't feed me that line about Claudia not wanting to date you because you don't do girly things." There was an awkward pause between the two until Chloe looked up at the older woman, "how did you know?" Phoebe laughed softly, "Claudia called earlier and when I told her you were attempting to bake, well I have never heard her laugh so hard." Chloe gave a self-depreciating smile and Phoebe brought her in for a side hug. "It was sweet that you made Chris feel needed and special. You made his day." "He is needed and special," she easily replied. Phoebe's face settled into a sad smile, "Yes he is, but sometimes he forgets that."

They stay on the couch another minute enjoying the silence, until the phone rings and Phoebe is off to get it. Chloe looks at her watch and sighs heavily before shimmering out.

**The song is I'm Glad You're Dead by Bobaflex. I chose this song (1) because it was stuck in my head and (2) it hopefully sets the tone of who Chloe is and what she is dealing with. Plus it's just another thing for Leo to eventually point at when accusing someone of being evil. **

**So who is Chloe and how does she fit in? How are our voyeurs going to respond? Where the hell am I going with this story? All good questions. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews everyone who did. I never understood why people always asked for reviews and I was scared to open my first, but you guys are fantastic, and I totally get why people pester for reviews. For the record, I am not pestering, but if you have any thoughts or guesses about what is coming up I would love to hear them.**

Piper turned to Chris as the teenager shimmered out. "A demon?! You are friends with a demon? And you expect us to trust you with Wyatt?" She glanced over to see what Leo thought, to see the man red in the face and glaring daggers at the witch lighter. Paige chimed in a little more hesitant, "Chris, you gotta admit saying you 'love' a demon doesn't exactly inspire confidence. That never turns out well." The young man's eyes looked tired as he responded, "Did you ignore everything you just saw besides the shimmer? What part of we both tried to warn you Wyatt was turning evil, is evil? She is a 15 year old girl and I'm all of 11 years old baking cookies; that screams evil to me." "Don't take that tone with us! A demon is a demon no matter the age. If you two knew Wyatt, then it was only to corrupt him," shouted Leo. "That's not what you said about the Manticore baby!" argued Chris.

Leo and Piper continued yelling with Paige waffling on which side to take; Phoebe was suspiciously silent leading Paige to prompt her. "Phoebes, what do you think?" She continued staring at the place the teen had just occupied, "Chris, whose house is this?" That brought them all up short; it was obvious they had only been thinking about the surface issues. Chris sighed, "It's yours." "So if she is here, it's because I let her be, right?" Chris just nodded. "Why do I have a demon in my house?" "She is a half-breed." Paige chimed in, "So was Cole, that doesn't mean anything. Answer the question Chris."

They waited impatiently while he mulled over what to say. Just as Piper met her breaking point, he finally spoke. "When Chloe was little she had a string of bad foster homes and ended up living on the streets. She was 8 at the time. You were tracking a warlock who was selling children into slavery. You intercepted him trying to take Chloe. From what I understand she didn't take to you, Piper, or you, Paige; but she clung to Phoebe like a life raft. The only time she would let go of you was if she was with Wyatt; and he took to her just as quickly. You didn't know she was magical until two weeks later when a demon attacked and Chloe protected Phoebe while she was unconscious. By that time she was already integrated into your life, Phoebe, and you refused to give her up; Wyatt wouldn't let you either. So she stayed. And never compare her to Cole; her human half is much stronger than Cole's ever was."

"So I adopted her?" asked Phoebe. "Not exactly… but you fill out all her parent/guardian pages for school." Piper looked at her sister, "What is it with you and loving demons." Chris, Paige and Phoebe all winced at her accusation. "If I am letting her live with me she must not be evil. I wouldn't risk Wyatt like that." Paige gave her a sheepish look, "Well you married Cole…" That pushed Phoebe to finally yell, "This is not about Cole! This is about an 8 year old girl who needed a safe home and who has apparently grown into a caring young woman." "Caring?" Leo mocked. "Did you see her? Her tattoos, her music, her clothes; they all practically shout evil. I bet she turned Wyatt evil to use him to build some sort of army and you," he said turning to Chris. "I bet you are here doing her bidding for the power and 'cause she's a good lay."

The Elder never saw the fist that impacted his face. "Don't you ever talk about Chloe like that, again. And as for sleeping with her, that's disturbing Leo. She was the big sister/protective parent I never had." Leo got up from the ground in a rage, but Phoebe quickly stepped between them. "Okay guys, let's just calm down. Maybe we should take a look around and see what else is going on." "No," disagreed Chris, causing his aunt to shoot him a glare. "No, we should be finding a way back. While we are here who knows what's going on back in the past? And there is no one there if Victor needs help protecting Wyatt." This caused them to all pause for a moment before Piper imperiously decided, "Nope, we are here now, mister, and we are going to learn all we can. If something goes wrong Wyatt will use his shield and orb him and Dad to safety. Besides we can be back at the same time we left, it is time travel after all."

Piper marched out of the living room and the rest followed her; Chris's head was hung low, Phoebe was trying to soak in all the details of her home, Paige looked optimistic and Leo looked suspicious. They found themselves in a dining room with take-out Chinese boxes piled around. Three girls about ages 9, 7 and 5 sat at the table already eating; the oldest one looks to be the same girl that ran through Paige earlier. Older Phoebe and the man they saw yelling at Chloe walk in carrying drinks for themselves and the girls. They sit around the table and begin eating.

Older Phoebe starts asking the girls about their day, "Phoenix, how was your play date?" The oldest girl rolls her eyes, "Mom, it isn't called a play date anymore. We just hung-out." "Well how was hanging out?" the man prods. "It was good we watched that new movie I wanted to see and her mom made us root beer floats." "You aren't too old for root beer floats then?" "Dad, Wyatt says you can never be too old for root beer floats." "Well then it must be true," her father affirms. The littlest one pipes up, "Mom, can we have floats too?" "Maybe after dinner, Prue; we have to see how much of your dinner you eat. How about you, Peyton, how was your day?" "It was good. We had little league after school. Susan fell and hurt her knee, but she's fine now."

The table fell silent as they tucked into their meals. When the man went to reach for one of the boxes for seconds, Phoenix picked it up and held it out of his grasp. "Mom, where is Chloe? She didn't get any Mongolian beef and it's her favorite." "Chloe texted me saying that she is working on a project at a friend's house, but to leave her an egg roll." The girl passed the carton to her father who had a sour look on his face even as he grabbed the last egg roll. The plates were soon cleared and the group dispersed; the girls to the backyard, their father to the couch and Phoebe to the sink.

Younger Phoebe turned to Chris, "Who is he?" "He is your husband, Coop." "My husband who abuses young women and girls?" Chris sighed, "Yes and no. Coop has never once struck or abused you or the girls in any manner, just Chloe. I don't know if he ever would, but if he ever did he would be dead. That's not an exaggeration. Chloe told him if he ever laid a hand on you or the girls or mentally or verbally abused you all, she would torture him to death." "And I'm okay with that?" "You don't know it's going on. The only people who know are Wyatt and me; and she didn't even tell us; we had to do some digging." Paige jumped in, "Wait did you just say torture him to death? Cause that sounds pretty evil demon like to me." Surprisingly it was Piper who answered her, "What would you be willing to do if someone hurt Phoebe or her innocent children? I could kill and I don't think it's too far of a stretch to say I could hurt them beforehand." "Why doesn't she tell me?" asked Phoebe. Chris didn't answer.

The silence became agonizingly awkward. Paige tried to break the air, "So, how about we go find Wyatt?" She orbed away before anyone could disagree with her. "I hate it when she does that," muttered Piper who grabbed Leo's arm. He orbed them after Paige leaving Phoebe and Chris alone.

"How are you doing, Chris?" "I'm…I'm fine… it's just hard being back here. I have replayed so many of these days over and over to figure out what could have been done differently." "And what did you decide?" "No change had a good outcome. Even now, saving Wyatt I don't know what that will mean for Chloe…for me. I am worried about future consequences; it isn't just something I spout off. How will you react when you finally meet Chloe? Coop? Hell, anybody you see here do something you disagree with?" "We will save Wyatt, Chris." "But what if in doing so, we condemn Chloe?" "Well, then at least we saved the good guy and our family. No answer is perfect." Something flickered in Chris's eyes at her response, but it was too fleeting to catch. "We better go before they get themselves in trouble," Phoebe took his arm and they orbed away.

They arrived in the manor dining room where a 13 year old Wyatt sat hunched over his homework. "I don't get it!" he finally exclaimed with a sigh. Young Chris was suddenly at the doorway peaking in, "What don't you get Wy?" "How can you add negative numbers? That doesn't make sense." Chis climbed into the chair next to him and read over his shoulder. "Oh, I know. Think about it like this: a negative number is like an ice cube and a positive number is like hot water. So when the potion is too hot or too big a number you add ice." Wyatt's face lit up with understanding and he did his last few problems. "You know Chris, you're pretty smart sometimes." "Just sometimes?" Chris asked cheekily. Wyatt rolled his eyes and walked off into the living room.

Chris followed him and the voyeurs trailed after. The boys soon began arguing over which TV show to watch and they ended up on the ground fighting over the remote. A disembodied voice belonging to older Piper called out of the kitchen, "Boys enough. Christopher give Wyatt the remote." Chris pouted on the couch, "I never get to choose… Wyatt we can't watch this." The blonde haired boy had turned on a history channel show about gangs. Wyatt kicked Chris off the couch and muttered, "what Mom doesn't know won't hurt her." Chris got up and ambled off.

Wyatt sat quietly and watched his show, taking notes on a sheet of paper. Paige stood behind him and read over his shoulder, "looks like he is taking notes on gang structure." Chris actually volunteered information for once, "When Wyatt first started gathering followers they were organized more like a gang. That changed when his first group was nearly obliterated by a demon army. Now his supporters are an army, with some mercenaries thrown in."

Eventually Wyatt got up and headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Chris started following him, so the rest trailed along. Wyatt headed to the shower while the rest went to Wyatt's bedroom. It was a standard boy's room with posters of cars and women in bikinis on the walls, there were dirty clothes on the floor and his messy twin bed sat against the far wall. Wyatt walked in freshly showered in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. He pulled back the covers on his bed and that's when the sister's and Leo realized the lump they thought was dirty clothes and blankets was actually a person. They walked around so they could get a better look at the figure lying on its side. It was Chloe looking battered and bruised, her face slightly bloody and clothes torn a mess.

When Wyatt saw her he went back to his dresser and pulled out another set of boxers and shirt. He shook her shoulder until she could groggily sit up on her own. Without hesitation he removed her converse, jeans and underwear, helping her slide into his boxers. He then stripped her tank and bra, helping her pull on the oversized t-shirt. The boy folded her clothes and set them on his dresser before helping her lay back curled on her side. He slid in behind her and spooned her battered body, pulling her close when she whimpered and letting her snuggle up to him. For a few minutes he observed her and spoke softly in her ear, putting her in a calm state of sleep. Only when he was satisfied she was okay, did he let himself drift off.

**A little bit of background on Chloe, but it was given by Chris, so who knows what he left out? Hint: I do. **

**If it seems that Paige, Piper and Leo should figure out who Chris is from whose houses he is in and how they relate; they probably should. But I also felt they were really dense this season.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here is another installment. A bit of crass language, but nothing too offensive. I wrote this instead of studying for my midterm, so wish me luck!**

The sisters and Leo all turned to face Chris, none of them looking pleased. They all started speaking at the same time drowning their own questions out. In frustration they all stopped, then tried to start again. Piper finally gestured for them to quiet down and she spoke through grit teeth, "Why is there a demon in my son's bed?" Phoebe wheeled on her sister, "That's what you're worried about? How about, why is there a beaten girl hiding with him?" Paige nodded with her assessment but had her own worries, "um, guys, did anyone else notice Wyatt didn't hesitate to undress her?" As humans are prone to, the idea of sex caught their attention. Chris spoke up, "before you even insinuate that they are sleeping together, I mean not in a platonic manner, I want to reiterate that you are all disturbed."

Piper and Leo weren't keen on thinking about their toddler's sex life so quickly took the out Chris provided. "We won't ask again Chris, why is there a demon in Wyatt's bed?" questioned Leo. Chloe shifted against Wyatt and whimpered in her sleep; still asleep, Wyatt rolled her to face him and bury her face against his chest. They quieted down again. Chris waited a moment to ensure they were still asleep before responding, "Can you at least call her by her name? She is not just 'a demon'; she is Chloe." "Chris…" Paige's voice held a warning. "Fine, she came to him for comfort, happy?" Chris folded his arms and turned away, effectively ending that conversation.

_I look in the mirror and see your face  
If I look deep enough  
So many things inside that are just like you are taking over me_

Chloe rolled away from Wyatt and blindly searched for her phone on the floor, not even opening her eyes as she answered, " 'lo? ... Huh? Yeah … Sorry Mom, I came over to visit Wy and we must have fallen asleep…. No, I promise. I will be there." She hung up and dropped the phone on the floor, still never having opened her eyes. Wyatt held out an arm and pulled her back into him, "Who was that?" "Mom," came a muffled reply. "Wha' she want?" "She checked my bed, saw I wasn't there. Reminded me to take Prue to kindergarten tomorrow morning." "You need to go?" Chloe just buried her face into his neck, "guess not."

As light dawned outside, Chloe stirred and staggered out of Wyatt's grasp. She unsteadily made her way to his mirror and looked at herself, "Ugh, definitely not winning a beauty pageant today." She smiled sardonically at herself, "'cause you participate in those so often." There was a flicker of magic and then her wounds had disappeared, demonically glamoured away. Now looking back in the mirror was a refreshed young woman; she tried a smile but is still looked forced and painful. "Okay, guess that's as good as I can do today." She grabbed her clothes and put them in a duffel bag pulled from under Wyatt's bed.

Older Piper walked in without knocking and paused at seeing Chloe. "Chloe." "Piper," she responded. "I thought I told you I don't like you hanging around Wyatt." "I thought I told you that I don't give a flying fuck," she hissed trying not to wake Wyatt. "Does Phoebe know you are here?" "Yes. What are you gonna do Piper? Tell her you don't want me to hang out with Wyatt anymore? How do you plan on explaining that one to her?" Older Piper looked furious but ignored her rhetorical questions, "Why are you in Wyatt's boxers?" "Because my clothes were ruined from the multitudes of people I fucked last night. I'm worried the cum will never come out of my shirt." They glared at one another and Chloe shimmered out.

The voyeurs were startled by Chris's laughter. "What?!" younger Piper yelled at him. He tried to regain his composure, "Sorry," was his only response; he wasn't that sorry. They watched older Piper pull out her phone and mentally debate making a call. She nodded her head and pressed call, "Hey Pheebs, I just … oh, okay … um, oh, I just wanted to make sure you were coming over for dinner tonight. Great, love ya. Bye." She pulled her phone down and looked at it again. "Way to lose your nerve," she murmured to herself. Piper went over and gently jostled Wyatt to wake him; then jostled him harder to get him to actually wake up. He blearily started to get up as Piper left the room; a sudden, devious smile crossed her face. She scrolled to another name on her phone, as she exited the room. Just in ear shot they heard her say, "Good morning Coop…."

With those three words younger Piper found herself on the receiving end of a double glare from Chris and Phoebe. "Hey don't look at me, I wouldn't support child abuse." "Just neglect," muttered Chris garnering a look from Paige. "But I mean can you blame her… me… us, whatever. She walked in to see a demon in his room in his clothes." "Stop calling her a demon!" shouted Chris. "She is a demon!" "Look past that; look at her." Leo responded, "I see a warped teenager; a lesbian and a whore. Oh and a demon." Even Piper looked at her estranged husband surprised. "Piper what do you see?" "I see a young woman with some issues who is too close to my son. Who is also a demon."

"Paige, you're the social worker what do you see?" Paige's eyes went wide at being put on the spot, "uh, I see a teenage girl. One who is trying to hide her abuse, is internalizing the pain and is lashing out when someone threatens the support system she has managed to build. What do you see Pheebs?" "I see a beautiful young woman, who is a hell of a lot like me when I was younger." They were all quiet and finally noticed the room was empty and probably had been for some time.

"Can we get out of here guys?" asked Paige. "Yeah," seconded Phoebe. They orbed into the attic, wondering why Chris had brought them here. He was rifling through the book of shadows. "What are you doing Chris?" "Trying to find a way to get us back." "No," shouted all three of the girls. He didn't reply. Paige grabbed Phoebe's hand and they orbed out; Piper and Leo followed them. Chris looked up, mentally debating joining them and then returned to the book.

#####

Paige and Phoebe ended up in an unfamiliar room with older Paige sitting at a desk in front of a class of students. "I'm a teacher at magic school? How awesome is that." Phoebe smiled at her sister, honestly happy for her and hopeful her family didn't have some dark secret looming too. Phoenix walked up to the desk, "Professor Mitchell…" "Oh I'm married!" exclaimed Paige. "I completed my assignment." "What did you write about, birdie?" "I wrote about the Source." "Which iteration?" "The current, I interviewed Chloe for my paper." "I look forward to reading it. Did you fact check using any other source? No pun intended." "Yes, ma'am, I used the textbook you recommended and interviewed Mom too." "Well then, I guess you can go to the library until your next class." "Thanks Professor Mitchell… Oh and Aunt Paige, Mom wanted me to ask if you were still going to dinner at Aunt Piper's tonight." "I will be there but the others are busy." The girl left the room and Paige began grading the paper.

A girl started passing a note, but it suddenly orbed to Paige's desk. The students involved looked mortified; Paige just smiled. "Turn around," said Phoebe to Paige. "What?" "Show me those eyes in the back of your head. You aren't going to read it in front of class are you?" "No, I would never, I had a teacher do that to me once. I had written that I had a crush on Connor Helk. I was so embarrassed I couldn't look at him for a week." Phoebe snickered and Paige elbowed her in the ribs.

The bell rang and the students filed out and another group came in; this one included a young Chris. "Okay guys, presentations and papers are due today." A groan went through the class. "Who wants to go first?" No one raised their hand. "Okay if no one is willing to volunteer…" she reached her hand into a cup and pulled out a piece of paper with a name on it, " Martha, you go first." They sat through three presentations on spells and potions that were, actually, really informative and taught the girls a few things. Up next was Chris.

"Hi I am Chris Halliwell…. " "What!?" screamed young Paige, "who did he just say he was?" Phoebe laid a hand on her shoulder, "he is our nephew, Paige." "What? Wait what? How do you know? How long have you known? Why? When?" Once Paige ran out of breath Phoebe started, "I kind of found out during that whole genie fiasco. Chris made a wish that was really perverted, or, so I thought, until he explained that he was Piper and Leo's second son." "What was the wish?" "For Piper and Leo to sleep together." "Eew, ew,ew,ew, ew. Why would he wish for that?" "His coming back to the past messed up the timeline; he almost wasn't conceived." "Wait are you saying that Piper is pregnant?" "Yes." "With Chris, our neurotic white lighter." "With Chris, our brave witch lighter nephew, who just wants to save his brother."

"Oh my god, Phoebe, we have been awful to him." Her face had a look of horror, "We didn't believe him and we kicked him out of the house. Why didn't he just tell us?" "To affect the timeline less, I guess. I still am not really sure how that plan was supposed to work." "How did we not see it? He looks so much like Piper and he is so stubborn; definitely a family trait. That's why he was at your and Piper's houses here in the future." They fell silent as Paige absorbed the implications of this revelation.

Chris was just finishing up his speech, "So in reality the strongest possible wards to keep a place secure would occur if you had a demon and a witch cast the wards together. The complication comes in relations between witches and demons. If you take away nothing from this presentation but my final words: remember even the strongest wards can be broken but well-formed wards, even when broken, still hold some protection. Thanks." The class clapped and the bell rang, "Okay guys remember, read chapter 22 and we will finish the presentations next class."

Chris packed up his things and held back while the rest of the class filed out to lunch. "Hey sport, what's up? Mom forgot to give me lunch money and I didn't see Chloe before class like I usually do, so could I borrow a few dollars." "Of course Chris, and you don't need to borrow it, you can have it…. Does Piper forget to send you with lunch or money often?" "It's not a big deal Aunt Paige, she just doesn't think about it sometimes." "How often Chris?" "A couple of times a week." "But I see you eating lunch every day." "Usually Chloe makes sure I have money or brings me a sack lunch. Last week she even got me Subway with a cookie and chips."

They could see anger brewing behind Paige's eyes as she gave him some cash, "Chris anytime you need anything. You can always ask Phoebe or me okay. I know you usually go to Chloe or sometimes Wyatt, but you can always come to me if you need anything." "Thanks Aunt Paige, but I'm okay," he said with a smile and kissed her cheek before running off. "You don't deserve that boy," Paige muttered angrily to a phantom Piper.

#####

Piper and Leo ended up at P3, currently closed due to the hour. They looked at one another, "Chris said Wyatt is evil and we have seen proof. Maybe he's telling the truth, Leo." Her imploring gaze met his impassive one, "no, I won't accept that. After all the lies he has told, all the things he has done and his manipulations. I will never trust him. Besides if she didn't deserve whatever was happening to her Wyatt would have healed her." "Maybe we should go see what we can find out about her."

They orbed down to an abandoned (in their time) part of the underworld and started walking with no real destination in mind. It was just luck that they encountered Chloe swaggering down one of the cavern halls. Three others appeared out of a small alcove and surrounded her. "Hello Princess," said the blonde one. "Go fuck yourself, Karn." "Now, now that's hardly the language such a pretty girl as you should be using. "Move," she commanded. "I don't think so Princess." "Call me princess one more time and you will get a refresher on why he sent three of you instead of just one." Karn smiled, "oh we wouldn't want to keep him waiting dear." The two big goons behind her each put a hand on her shoulder; electricity suddenly arced across her body and they blew to demon bits.

She stepped towards the other demon and invaded his personal space. From where they stood they couldn't see what happened, but he stepped back quickly looking frightened. She turned away from him and stalked off, "You coming Karn? Daddy won't wait forever and you know how he hates to be kept waiting."

**Demon Bits the new tasty treat, find it today at your local supermarket! Sorry, but re-reading that section all I could think of was how it sounded like a dog treat.**

**The ringtone is from Evanescence's Taking Over Me.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry about the delay. I had different fandoms competing up here (points to temple) and I decided not to write anything else until this story (and possibly a sequel) gets written so it doesn't get abandoned. **

**Trigger Warning: Physical and (non-graphic) sexual abuse**

Leo and Piper trailed behind the demons through endless caves and passages growing more apprehensive the farther they went. Eventually the dank halls led to an ornate set of double doors; Chloe pushed them open imperiously followed by a hesitant Karn. Inside was a throne room of sorts with demons, slaves and scantily clad women sporadically about. The throne sat at the rear of the room shrouded in shadow and a large figure sat in it upright with his nails tapping the arm rests and face obscured by a hood.

"You know a text message works better than sending your goons," started the teen. "Good to see you to my lord; it has been too long. How have you been? I have so missed your company." The demon responded then turned to the surviving goon. "Karn, this is disappointing." The blond demon stooped low and groveled, "My apologies my lord. Your daughter is very stubborn and I am no match for your progeny as I am merely your servant." Piper glanced at Leo and commented, "Well don't go overboard with the praise; he might be suspicious." Instead the enthroned demon merely laughed and the lesser demon scuttled back.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Beltaz?" Chloe looked uncowed and merely smiled mischievously, "My apologies father I was simply shocked by the audacity of your men and the liberties they took. There would have been fewer losses to your resources had you used another method to contact me. Let me start again. Good to see you my lord; it has been too long. How have you been? I have so missed your company." This caused him to laugh again, "Smartass. Do you know why you are here?" "Because you had sex with my mother," she responded. The cloaked man shifted and though they couldn't see his face, he had a distinctly unamused air.

"I want to know about Wyatt." "What's to know? He is a 13 year old boy, hardly a threat to your magnificence." "A twice-blessed witch lighter with knack for violence and a following of demons." "Father, are you saying you are losing your men to a boy? Are you sure you want to admit that out loud?" There were snickers around the room which quickly cut off when the cloaked demon through a fireball into one of the cackling goons.

"Hardly, they are not from my ranks that he is pulling them. You are one of my main sources of intelligence for the progress of all of the Halliwell children. I simply want an update." "I gave you your update yesterday." "You call that an update, daughter? You told me to mind my own fucking business and then spit in my face." "Not one of my most original moments I know, I was kind of disappointed too. Don't worry, I have one now though: I would rather stick a flaming hot poker up my ass and dance the hula then ever help you."

She flipped him off and turned around to stalk off. A pack of demons blocked off the door and her father was shaking his head. She spun back to face him, "Call your dogs off." "I wish I could Beltaz, but I can't let such blatant disrespect go like I did yesterday." "Yesterday? If you call that letting me off gently, you need to go pick up a dictionary. I'm pretty sure bloody and bruised are under no subsection of gentle." At a gesture from the still seated demon, the henchmen swarmed her. Fists flew and bodies went flying. Lightening sparked and writhed over the mass of bodies and bodies exploded in flames.

When the turmoil died down, Chloe was pinned to the ground by a small group of straining figures. They fit her with chains yanking her arms over her head and pulling her up so her toes were kissing the ground; the teen's wrists and shoulders were taking the majority of her weight. Hands yanked and tore at her clothes stripping her bare and then roaming over the exposed skin, groping roughly. Piper turned her face into Leo's chest trying not to watch, but unable to look away. "Enough," the head demon eventually commanded.

He began circling her vulnerable body scrutinizing her, "You do look so much like your mother." His hands ran over her skin, pinched her nipple and ran between her legs before he stepped back, "What a shame." Karn suddenly appeared beside him with a whip and at his master's nod he began to attack her back. The first couple lashes got no discernable reaction, then she began grimacing in pain, at 10 she began to whimper between lashes and at 17 her cries echoed off the walls. The lashes stopped at 25 and Karn approached the limp woman. "Have you learned your lesson princess?" he asked as he ran the handle of the whip along her sex.

She spit blood from her bit lip in his face. Enraged he backhanded her making her body roughly jerk in the chains. He pulled a knife from its sheath at his hip and made four shallow cuts across her inner thighs. "Whatever will Phoebe think when she sees that you have been cutting yourself, princess?" He laughed and licked at the blood running down her thigh. "That's enough Karn," called the demon sitting back on his throne. Three unlucky henchmen were chosen to release her from her chains and they received fireballs to the chest from their captive for their trouble. After killing the demons, Chloe painfully pushed to her feet and shuffled out.

Leo orbed them out to the manor's empty living room. Piper was speechless and just stared blankly at Leo, who was becoming worried. "Piper are you okay?" "They tortured her Leo. Her own father tortured her." "That's part of what makes them demons Piper. No one can come out of a situation and still be good." "We should have helped her." "Piper we can't do anything remember, we would have just passed right through them. But, it's not like she was an innocent getting hurt; she is a demon. If she would have died, it would have been better for us." "How can you say that Leo, she is still a child?" "She is hardly a child. You have heard everything she's said and seen what she has done. She kills, is an informant against our family and who knows what else. It's likely she poisoned Phoebe's mind against us. It's not out of the realm of possibility and we know how susceptible your sister is to that kind of thing. I think it's obvious that she turned Wyatt and has Chris working for her too."

Piper nodded her head considering his words. She was about to respond when Paige and Phoebe orbed in. "We need to talk to you about what we found," said Piper quietly. "No, not right now," Paige responded, still angry at the neglect of younger Chris by the two wanting to speak to them. Chris walked down the stairs and Paige suddenly engulfed him in a hug catching him off guard. He immediately froze and looked questioningly at Phoebe; her eyes told him that Paige knew. Slowly extracting himself from her tight grasp, he smiled at her. "I need to get something for the potion to get us home. Phoebe, can you start working on a spell to get us home?" "Sure," she responded ready to be done with the emotional stress of this place.

Chris orbed out and Leo turned to Phoebe, "You can't be serious? We are just starting to learn what's going on here." "I've seen enough," she replied. "Me too," called Paige and Piper nodded her agreement. Leo knew when he was out voted so let it go but fumed silently. They moved into the dining room and started working on the spell. Too soon people began piling into the dining room. Paige, Phoebe, Coop, Phoenix, Peyton, Prue, Piper, Wyatt and Chris soon all sat around the table with one empty space. Food started being passed around and Chloe snuck into her seat amidst the commotion.

"Where were you today?" asked Coop. Chloe opened her mouth with a quick retort but caught Phoebe's glance and quickly closed it, "I went to the library." "Funny I went by there today and didn't see you," replied Piper. The tension was palpable, "What time did you come by? I could have been still at school or it might have been when I went to grab a bite to eat." Coop stepped back in, "You got a phone call today from that troubled girl you …. She said she had your homework since you weren't in class today." "I had my appointment with the advisor today; that's why I wasn't in class Coop. And Claudia isn't troubled; she has just had a rough go of it, a string of bad foster homes and life on the street. You can't judge her by that. And as a cupid you shouldn't have a problem with what we are to each other. She is my girlfriend!"

Phoebe stepped in to defuse the situation, "Claudia is settled in with a good family, now though right?" "Yeah, Mom, Artie is a nice guy. He really cares about her." "Well that's good hun, remind her that she is welcome over whenever, I love having her around. And if things ever go bad again she is always welcome to stay over." "Thanks," the teenage girl shyly whispered earning a soft smile from both older and younger Phoebe. "What did the advisor say, Chloe?" asked Paige. "Um, she thinks that if I keep up the hard work and study a bit for the SAT I have a pretty good chance of getting scholarships to graduate and start college a year early." "That's great."

"Mom, can I skip a grade?" asked Phoenix, "5th grade is boring." "Sweetheart you never said school wasn't enough of a challenge for you," commented Coop. She just kind of shrugged. "We will look into it for you. A bored student makes for a trouble maker," Coop responded eying Chloe. She glared at him defiantly before deliberately turning her back to him to face Chris. "What did you do today peanut?" "We dissected a frog today in class. It was cool."

"Chris that is not something to talk about at the table," scolded Piper. That garnered looks from Paige and Phoebe. Chloe just gave her a challenging look, "So does that mean you already dissected the cow eye. I remember that." The scolded boy hesitantly responded, "Yeah that was last week. It was really cool the shiny film of the cornea and this weird black liquid. The frog was really cool though and didn't smell as bad as the eye but two kids still up chucked." Wyatt spoke up, "Oh, I remember doing that. I wasn't very good at cutting up the body." "That's alright Wy, it isn't very important," responded Piper. Wyatt acted like he hadn't heard her dismissive comment and continued to talk to his brother, "If you liked that you will probably like when Mrs. Sike brings in her formaldehyde rat brain. Hey I bet you would make a good doctor Chris. You love helping people and good at science. You're pretty cool, for a nerd that is."

Chris just smiled shyly and dug into his food. "So what about your day, Wyatt?" asked Piper. "Just hung out and played some video games at Tom's house, nothin' special Mom." Peyton leaned over to get another roll and wrinkled her nose at Chloe. "You smell like demon guts." A chorus of "gross" came from Phoenix, Chris and Prue. That got every adults attention. "I thought you said you were at the library, Chloe?" questioned Phoebe. "I just had a small run in; it was nothing." "Why didn't you tell us?" asked Paige. "It was no big deal guys. The demons are vanquished and I didn't want to worry you."

"You expect us to believe that?" sneered Piper. Coop chimed in, "The only time you lie about where you have been in is when you do something you know your mother wouldn't approve of. So it must not have been just a small encounter, otherwise you would have told us. Where were you Chloe?" "It's none of your business, Coop." "See she lied," Piper pointed out the indirect admission. Phoebe got a very serious look on her face, grabbed Chloe's hand and held her gaze, "Where were you today?" "He just asked to see me real quick. It was nothing." "He?" asked Paige. Phoebe answered for Chloe, "Cole."

**I know Cole is currently a dick in this, but I am a Phole proponent. Not sure that this fic will show that though.**

**No, this is not a cross over with Warehouse 13, but it is a nod to my favorite character and huge crush Claudia.**


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